"A part of me lost my faith in humanity that day," said Noa Beer, a survivor of the October 7 attack, speaking alongside Holocaust survivor Nat Shaffir.
Despite being separated by eight decades, both said they are driven by the same mission: ensuring their experiences are not forgotten.
"If you keep quiet, it's dangerous, especially in today's situation, especially today what happened in Michigan," Shaffir said.
Authorities said a 41-year-old naturalized U.S. citizen from Lebanon was killed after attacking a Detroit-area synagogue. For those attending the event, hosted by the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, the incident underscored what they described as a troubling and escalating pattern.
"Antisemitism is at an all-time high, and it's a frightening thing for all people no matter if you are Jewish or not because it doesn't start with the Jews and it doesn't end with the Jews," said Carol Stullberg of the museum.
Holocaust survivor Yetta Kane, who was honored at the event for her work, said the lessons of history remain critical.
"I have to tell the story for future generations to learn, hopefully to be kinder to one another to be more inclusive and more loving," Kane said.
The speakers emphasized that sharing their stories is a vital step in confronting hate and preventing future acts of violence.